Peer Tutoring

I need a tutor: what do I need to know?

Georgian College’s peer tutoring is provided at no extra cost. Drop-in and pre-scheduled 1:1 tutoring services are available during the semester on weekdays. Here’s how to get the most out of your tutoring experience.

How can I get a tutor?

Peer tutors are available for 1:1 help on a drop-in basis in the library. The Writing Centre, Math Centre and drop-in tutoring Hubs for Business, Engineering and Health Sciences are open to all students. Schedules are posted on the door of the tutoring centre and on the library website. Study groups are available for Pre-Health Chemistry, Biology and Physics and other courses as needed.

Students can access drop-in tutoring by going to the centre of their choice at an open time. Students may also join a study group at the Academic Success reception in the library.

Supplemental tutoring is available to students on a limited basis and is one hour per week. Students can book an intake appointment with the Peer Services Advisor at Academic Success reception. Peer Services will exhaust every possibility to find a tutor if one is not already on staff. In some rare cases, it is not possible to find a suitable tutor.

Who will tutor me?

All tutors are post-secondary students with an 80%+ average and a faculty recommendation. Tutors are trained according to the requirements of the College Reading and Learning Association. Where possible, tutors are expected to have completed the course with at least 80% before tutoring in it.

What can I expect?

All tutoring takes place on campus during office hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm).

Students who are approved for supplemental tutoring can expect to receive up to a total of 10 hours over the course of the semester. Usually, a student and tutor will meet for 1 hr per week.

Students who require more support than this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and are encouraged to make use of any drop-in services available to them as well.

Tutoring does not replace attending a class.

Tutors are students, not teachers and not experts.

Faculty and Advisor support may be needed to enhance learning skills.

Tutors provide support for understanding content. They do not complete work on behalf of students. Students must do their own work.

What is expected of me?

Prepare for the tutoring session by knowing what questions you have and bringing all your materials with you. It is always better if you try to start the work on your own so the tutor can see where you are getting stuck.

Access all the supports on campus that will help you succeed.

Let your tutor know in advance if you need to reschedule or miss a meeting. Tutoring could be suspended if you don’t show up when you say you will.

How do I prepare for a tutoring session?

Take time before you meet the tutor to go through your notes and textbook and list the areas that are most difficult or confusing for you.

The “Stoplight Technique” is a good way of doing this: red light for things you don’t understand at all, yellow light for things you partly understand and green for things you understand (and don’t need the tutor to help with).

Expect to ask specific questions so that you can work on the homework assignment on your own later. The tutor is not going to help you do any work that will be marked.

Plan to be an active participant in the tutoring session. Don’t expect your tutor to do all the talking or give you the answers. Our goal is that you learn how to learn more effectively and be independent in learning.

Expect to complete the assignment on your own later. The tutor can help you learn the skills you need to complete it, using examples.

Track your progress. Is the tutoring helping you improve your grades and your study habits? If not, it may be that you need other supports or to make other changes to succeed.

If you aren’t sure how to prepare for your study session, ask the Peer Services Advisor or your Student Advisor for help

Can I hire a private tutor?

Georgian College does not have any regulations regarding private tutors and does not cover the costs for these. If you decide to hire a private tutor, we recommend that you have a written agreement (e-mail is fine) to clarify where you will meet, when and how often as well as how much it will cost. This will save you a lot of misunderstandings later.

What can I do if I don't have a good experience with a tutor?

Let Peer Services know if it isn’t working out with the tutor you were assigned. Another may be arranged if there is one available.

Individual Tutoring

Arranged by the Peer Services Advisor, students meet with a tutor on an individual basis to facilitate understanding of course content.

Peer tutors can be arranged by Peer Services staff for just about any course offered on campus. Students need to make an appointment for an intake with the Peer Services Advisor. Tutoring is scheduled around the student and tutor timetables. Generally students may meet with a one-to-one tutor for one or two hours per week.

Students are always encouraged to use other tutoring and learning strategy services available as an additional support to learning.